VOYAGEUR January 2019

Transcription

1 VOYAGEUR January 2019 Dear Church family, We are in the season of celebrating Christmas, and looking to the beginning of a new year. I hope you have been able to gather and share a meal with whomever you call family. One of the great gifts of the season is being able to spend time together. I believe it's more vital to our relationships with each other than any gift we could give or receive. While I'm sure there are exceptions, most family gatherings bring together people who have different experiences, ideas, and beliefs. It's in the nature of our lives that, wherever two or three are gathered, there will probably be a difference of opinion, whether those differences are expressed or not. While this is true for whatever group you hold as family, it is also true for our United Methodist Church. In the many ways we gather as church, we experience having differences with each other. It's been part of our heritage, and it is likely to our future. Like a lot of families, the United Methodist Church has had family feuds. Longstanding feuds can divide families. The Methodist Episcopal church was divided into two different denominations over the issue of slavery between , and when it re-united, some of the churches left the denomination. Differences can be long-standing and acrimonious. The United Methodist Church of our era has also participated in a long-standing family feud. We have had an active debate about human sexuality and inclusion since the General Conference of That is approximately the year I received my first Bible in Sunday school. I didn't know anything about Annual Conference, General Conference, the Council of Bishops, or any of our church history. I didn't even know that the church of my childhood was often in unresolved conflict. I knew that Jesus loved me, and that I was part of the church. Through my mother's teaching, I knew that our church offered Communion to everyone, and that this was very different than the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church that my mother grew up in. Next month, there will be a special session of General Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. (This is not to be confused with the regularly scheduled General Conference in Minneapolis in Some of you have been knitting scarves for the 2020 conference.) After the church nearly divided in 2016, the Council of Bishops was asked to make recommendations for a way to keep the church together, and to schedule this special conference. There are three different plans to be discussed at this conference. I won't detail them here, but you will find a summary elsewhere in this newsletter. While I have beliefs and ideas about which path we should choose as a denomination, this is not the reason I am writing you this month. I'm asking for your prayers for all the churches in our denomination, including your own. This is an important time for us. I am more conscious of our dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit in the church than ever. Without it, I don't believe any of the effort of this conference will have a helpful benefit for our churches. Of all the places affected by this conference, I care most about Bemidji, MN. As your pastor, I am appointed to serve not only the church, but the larger community where we serve together. For most of the people of Bemidji, this conference will not dictate the way they experience and understand the United Methodist Church. You and I, the United Methodists here, will have the most vital impact. We are the people God is equipping to love and serve the people in Bemidji. The relationships we are building will be more effective in naming and claiming our identity among the people than the results of this General Conference. But the conference will have an impact on the life of our church. What the impact will be is uncertain. In the middle of these uncertainties, God is at work in our lives, such that the only real certainty is God's love. My prayer for the new year is that you will experience God's love in a deep and profound way. I pray that as the United Methodist church in Bemidji, we will use our open hearts, open minds, and open doors to make and be disciples of Jesus Christ, participating in the transformation of our world. In our differences, may we find unity. In our commonality with Christ, may we find love. In the adventure of our faith, may we discover hope. Pastor Rob

2 2019 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Happy New Year 2 NO Bible Study NO Community NO Youth Group Pastor Rob on Vacation until Jan16 3 NO Community 4 7:30pm-10:00pm Square Dancing Youth Group Lock In :30 7 NO Beginning Knitting / Chapel 5:30-8:30 Girl Scout Leader mtg in Lounge Fellowship Hall 8 NO Ruby Tuesday 6:30 Trustees Mtg 9 NO Bible Study 5:30 Choir Practice 10 4:00 SPRC NO Game Night, will resume in February 13 10:30 14 NO Beginning Knitting / Chapel Fellowship Hall 15 NO Ruby Tuesday 5:30 Finance Mtg 16 9:30 BMW Meeting NO Bible Study 5:30 Choir Practice Newsletter Deadline 19 10:00 Prayer Shawl Meeting 20 10:30 2:00-4:30 Square Dancing 21 6:30 Beginning Knitting/Chapel Fellowship Hal 22? Ruby Tuesday 5:30 Council Mtg 23 10:45 Services at Neilson Place 3:30 Bible Study 5:30 Choir Practice 24 2:00-5:30 Stamping Group : :30 Beginning Knitting / Chapel Fellowship Hall :30 Evergreen? Ruby Tuesday 30 3:30 Bible Study 31

3 BEMIDJI UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Church Office hours: 9:00am ~ 2:00pm Monday ~ Friday Office Phone: Pastor Rob Phone: If you wish for a pastoral home visit or hospital visit, or know someone who needs or desires a visit, please call the church office. JUST A REMINDER. Articles for the January Newsletter are due in the office no later than 9:00am on Friday, January 18, Any announcements you wish to have in the Sunday bulletin must be called in, ed, or delivered to the office by 9:00am on Thursdays. THANK YOU! Addresses: Church Office, Tammy: umcbji@paulbunyan.net Pastor Rob: revrmkopp@gmail.com Mailing Address: PO Box 607, Bemidji, MN Street Address: 924 Beltrami Avenue NW, Bemidji MN Service Volunteers January 2019 USHERS: Coordinators Mike & Rita Albrecht January 6: Mike & Rita Albrecht January 13: Bill & Kathy Strycker January 20: Dave Dahlberg & Merril Theil January 27: Mike & Rita Albrecht GREETERS: Coordinators Mike & Rita Albrecht January 6: Merlyn & Velma Wesloh January 13: Cal & Pat Rice January 20: Verna & Loren Lofberg January 27: John Herath & Jack Spangenburg READERS: Coordinator Becky Lueben January 6: Jeff Anderson January 13: Dave Dahlberg January 20: Verna Lofberg January 27 : Dana Danielson COFFEE SERVERS: Coordinator Lorne Lofberg January 6: Ken & Deanna Nichols January 13: Robert & Carol Rieke January 20: Roy & Jan Miller January 27: Mike & Tessa Richardson

4 JANUARY MEMBER CELEBRATIONS Please celebrate and pray for these people on their birthday and anniversary. BIRTHDAYS 01 Richard Burghart 18 Linda Bradley, Krista Coyle 02 Maggie Dahlberg, Barb Fellman 19 Virginia Youngdahl 02 Verda Murray, Ginger Tibbetts 21 Zaveree Conner 04 Spencer Jessen 22 Hayden Pirkl 05 Alice Larkin, Sandra Sterr 23 Jan Grimm 06 Olivia Geiger 24 Betty Freborg 07 Shirley Bruers 25 Barbara Johnston, Cal Mattfield 11 Madalynn Frenzel, Michelle Seibel, Linda Smith 15 Kathy Burger 26 Lillian Douglas 16 Dana Danielson 27 Janice Moberg, William Strycker 17 Dave Danielson, Courtney Frenzel 17 Kambria Lee, Nick Thompson If your birthday or anniversary or the birthday or anniversary of a parishioner is missed here, please call Tammy at the office so it will be included in the Sunday bulletin and future Voyageurs. REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS THOSE... at Neilson Place: Bill Britton, Marian Blehm, Nelle May at Trillium: Dick Slinkman, Lois Statton, Judy Comstock, Lorraine Sorensen at Windsong: Wag Collins, Jean Slinkman, Bert Clark, Karren Clark, Dotty Naramore at Baker Park: Kathleen Magsam at Havenwood Care Center: Patty Boyer, Mary Conner, Grace Daniels, Vern Ditty, Betty Howard. at Goldpine: Laura Hays, Dorothy Sathre, Ruby Hausauer, Dorothy Baxter, Marjory Beck at Tanbark Assisted Living in Lexington, KY: Margaret Skinner at May Creek in Walker, MN: Ruth Weis,

5 The Bemidji Methodist Women will meet on Wednesday, January 16 at 9:15am in the lounge with refreshments being served. HOSTESSES: Verna Lofberg & Carol Rieke DEVOTIONS: Carol Rieke PROGRAM: Scams & File of Life ----Officer Carrigan Everyone is welcome, please join us for refreshments & Fellowship. January Welcome Desk Volunteers January 06-Kari Knudson & William Knudson January 13-Merlyn & Velma Wesloh January 20-Tessa Comstock & Skip Larson January 27-Ginger Tibbetts & Grace Pastoor Charge Conference Sunday February 3 rd at 11:30 am with a Potluck meal.

6 2019-UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 924 Beltrami Ave PO Box 607 Bemidji, MN Office number: (218) Web Site: Coordinator: Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit Number 8 Bemidji MN Return Service Requested January 2019 VOYAGEUR Published Monthly open hearts open minds open doors The People of the United Methodist Church Church Staff Reverend Rob Kopp Pastor Tammy Freye Secretary/Bookkeeper Chris Newman Custodian Cynthia White Organist Linda Wagner Chancel Choir Director Grace Pastoor Volunteer & Events Coord.

7 A Way Forward At the 2016 United Methodist General Conference, the delegates from across the globe were once again unable to find any common ground about our United Methodist position about homosexuality. The United Methodist Church has been divided about human sexuality since This time, however, it seemed likely that the denomination would break apart over inclusion or exclusion of LGBTQ people, unless a way could be found to help us stay together as a church. The delegates agreed to ask the Bishops to put a moratorium on votes on homosexuality, and to lead us in something new, in an effort to preserve the unity of the United Methodist Church. The Bishops created a Commission on A Way Forward to advise them, and set a special General Conference session on only this topic for February The Commission on A Way Forward, selected by the bishops, is a diverse group of 32 clergy, laity, and bishops. They met in person many times over two years and made recommendations to the bishops. The One Church Plan emerged as most helpful, in the Bishops estimation. It creates the most likely way to unity of the church while honoring global and regional cultural differences. It preserves our connectional ministries. The bishops are recommending that the General Conference adopt this plan. Here are summaries of the plans: One Church Plan The UMC structure stays as it is. Current conflicts are deemed non-essential matters to our mission. Restrictions and prohibitions are removed, allowing Annual Conferences, Boards of Ordained Ministry, Local Churches, Clergy and Bishops to have freedom of conscience. The church remains united. Example: Prohibition against same sex marriage are removed. Where legal civilly, UMC pastors would be allowed but not forced to conduct services. Same sex weddings will not be celebrated in church buildings unless a congregation has voted for it. Connectional Conference Plan Three Connectional Conferences, separate but part of one UMC, would each make their own rules. The three would likely Traditionalist, Unifying, and Progressive. A sorting process would place Annual Conferences, Local Churches, Bishops and Clergy into a Connectional Conference that matches their belief. Traditionalist Plan This plan retains and strengthens current prohibitions on same sex marriage and gay ordination. It invites and forces Annual Conferences who are progressive to leave the UMC to start a new denomination. Local Churches may vote to stay with their Annual Conference or leave the UMC, or may vote to stay in the UMC if their Annual Conference leaves. For more information Our Minnesota Annual Conference web site has more information. There you can read the entire report of the Commission on A Way Forward, or read a two-page summary article and see a summary chart comparing the three plans. Reverend Michelle Miller